Fauvism and the VJ environment

In the article VJ Scene Patricia Moran talks about the allure of raves to achieve a different stage of consciousness. Throughout discussions in class we have seen the importance of synesthesia in the audiovisual scores in concerts or raves, which are according to Moran the natural habitats of VJs. This synesthesia is achieved when the people in the space “between” are immersed in the synthetic audiovisual environment, which is then treated as a nature space. The use of light and color to create a movement and stimulate a type of emotional response evokes Fauvism. Fauvism was an art movement that emerged in the 1900s. The artists of this movement were called the les fauves or wild beasts. The artists earned this title because of the use of color which looked “wild” and unorganized defied the popular realistic values of Impressionism. Instead of painting to mimic real life, the artists used color to depict the emotional or sensational qualities of their subjects. The most famous of the fauves was Henri Matisse, who is also known as the master of color. Color gives the space a specific feel, it allows the audience to immerse themselves in the feeling that is associated with that color. One example of the visualization of movement through color were Matisse’s Dancing Nudes. This subject matter also brings to mind the “wild” and unorganized movement of bodies at raves or concerts. Essential VJs use a harmony of color, light, and music to immerse people into interacting with the “between” space.  At the end of his career Matisse not only mastered the manipulation of color to alter consciousness but also the manipulation of light. The glass windows of the  Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence are an example of the use of light through filters to alter space and movement, since the light and color are changed with the specularity and placement of light. This manipulation of light and color which is now done with projectors, which is then put together with music so that the light and color seems to magically dance in the space insites the audience to take part of that “world” take state of synesthesia where they can feel the light and not only see it and see the music rather than just hear it.